Paint brush cleaning tool



Oct. 21, 1958 F. G. JACOBSEN 2,855,622

PAINT BRUSH CLEANING TOOL Filed March 22, 1957 Z- INVENTOR.

FEKDl/VAND & tmc'oaszw BY WQM'IW A fro/ave K5 United States Patent 'O PAINT BRUSH CLEANING TOOL Ferdinand G. Jacobson, Tacoma, Wash.

a Application March 22, 1957, Serial No. 647,813

13 Claims. (Cl. 15-105) This invention relates to an improved paint brush cleaning tool and more specifically to a combined cleaning comb and scraper tool particularly adapted for the cleaning of paint brushes against the accumulation of' paint therein. The invention is herein illustratively described by reference to the presently preferred form thereof; however, it will be recognized that certain modifications and changes therein with respect to details may be made without departing from the essential and characterizing features involved.

One of the most difiicult problems confronting the journeyman painter is that of keeping his brushes clean. A brush which becomes clogged with paint solids holds less paint and offers more resistance to a paint stroke than a clean brush. With oil base paints unclean brushes are referred to as lousy because of the small particles or lice which break loose at a later time and are deposited on the painted surface. On the other hand,

with water base latex paints very hard accumulations can soon develop in the heel, cementing the bristles together into" a hard mass, which greatly impairs the efiiciency of the brush. With a latex paint it is considered necessary to clean the brush at least twice a day because of the rapid solidification of the paint material. Once these materials have solidified there is virtually no satisfactory way of removing them.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a convenient, effective and relatively inexpensive paint brush cleaning tool which is effective for all types of paints and for a wide variety of paint brushes.

Another object of the invention is a combined comb and scraper tool for the cleaning of paint brushes so that with a minimum expenditure of time and efiort a painter may keep his paint brush continuously clean and thus improve his own efiiciency as well as extend the useful life of his brushes.

A more specific object of the invention is such a tool which is readily adapted for cleaning the bristles to the very base thereof.

Still another specific object is such a tool which is adapted for the cleaning of brushes beneath a water faucet in the case of water base paints or in a solvent can in the case of oil base paints or the like.

A specific object is a tool of the type referred to adapted to perform a combined combing and scraping or squeegee action.

Still another and more specific object is such a tool which is efiicient in its operation without danger of damaging the bristles.

As herein disclosed the invention will be seen to reside in the brush cleaning tool comprising features illustrated in the accompanying drawings and mentioned in the description with follows, based on such drawings.

Figure 4 is a side view of the tool being applied to the combing of a paint brush beneath a water tap.

Figure 5 is a side view showing application of the scraper element to a brush being cleaned.

Referring to the drawings, the improved tool comprises the elongated handle 10 and a plurality of comb teeth 12 mounted thereon in generally parallel spaced relationship. Preferably these individual teeth are stamped from sheet metal of uniform thickness throughout and have a relatively wide base portion 12a by which the teeth are mounted on the handle, and two longitudinal edges which converge towards the tips 12b. One of these edges, 12c, is substantially flat and straight whereas the opposite edge 12d is tapered or bevelled from both sides (Figure 3), and is gradually curved longitudinally in the concave sense from the base to the tip of the tooth. Abrupt convex curvature of the relatively straight and flat longitudinal edges 12c occurs at the tip as designated at This abrupt tip curvature'combined with the gradual longitudinal curvature of the edges 12d facilitates insertion of the teeth through the mass of bristles at the very root or heel of the brush so as to insure complete removal of residue.

The teeth are mounted in successively spaced parallel relationship as illustrated between the yoke arms 14 and 16 secured by screws 18 to the handle. A tooth spacing of A" is preferred for most applications, although a different spacing may be used. The length of the teeth and their base width may also vary. Elongated screws 20 and 22 extend in parallel relationshi transversely through and between the arms 14 and 16, and through aligned apertures in the base portions of the teeth. Spacer disks surrounding the screws 2*!) and 22 and designated 24 separate the successive teeth in order to hold them in spaced parallel relationship. Nuts 26 are threaded on the projecting ends of the screws 20 and 22 to hold the assembly together. The teeth may be mounted in their required relationship to each other and to a handle by other suitable means as well.

The assembly of the arms 14 and 16, the screws 20 incline in the direction generally away from the handle.

This acute angle relationship facilitates manipulation of the tool in the manner shown in Figures 4- and 5 wherein the teeth or the scraper element to be described are shown in use.

Another element of the tool comprises the scraper element 28 which is in the form of a generally flat strip projecting transversely in relation to the handle from the vicinity of the base of the teeth. In this illustration the scraper element 28 extends approximately at right angles from the general plane of the upper or back side of the handle in its illustrated position (Figures 1 and 4) and has a scraper edge 28a which is therefore materially offset from the comb teeth on the side of the tool awayfrom the projection of the teeth. Due to this offset, application of the teeth to the cleaning of a brush is not impeded by i the presence of the scraper element nor is the application of the scraper element to the brush (Figure 5) impeded by the teeth. Both are useful and desirable elements, serving alternately but complementally in. accomplishing an effective and complete brush cleaning operation.

In the preferred form of the scraper element 28, the scraper edge 28a is substantially flat but is undulated up from a web or strip 30 spanning across the upper or flat edges of the teeth near the base thereof, between the ends of the yoke arms 14 and 16. This strip 30 has a projectingedge extendingtransversely ofthe tool which may be usedto produce, a, squeegee or scraperaetion during the combing action of the tool if the angle ofthe handle in relation to the brush axis is increasedsufficiently during the combing. stroke. 1

Preferably the yoke is of open construction so as to permit Water or solvent to flow into the spaces between the teeth behind the scraper as shown in Figure 4.

The spacer elements 24 may be formed of plastic material, wood, metal or any other suitable materiaL- The handle 10, normally of wood may be .of plastic or, metal if desired The, teeth are preferably metalbecausc of the importance of stiffness and strength as well as the quality of durability.

With reference tothemode of use of the tool, the first step of the procedure is to force the tips of the teeth 12,

point first, through the bristles at the heel of the brush.

In so doing, the tapered or somewhat sharpened edges 12d are kept as close to the heel as possible so that all paint residueis reached. The longitudinal curvature of these edges and their tip form facilitates this mode of insertion by providing a certain degree of guidance tending to hold the tapered edges at the heel during; the insertion- Thereupon the teeth are stroked through the bristles from the base toward the tip as shown by the broken line arrow in Figure 4 to remove paint accumulations. By tilting the tool sufficiently the strip 30 squeegees the bristles d uring the. combing stroke. The combing action is repeated a number of times in order to loosen and remove the paint. These strokes may be alternated with occasional or directly recurring squeegee strokes using the scraper. Liquid solvent is applied to facilitate the cleaning action and carry away the loosened paint. The squeegee action removes solvent and paint together.

It will be evident that the doubly bevelled tooth edge 12d must not be unduly sharp because of the possible danger of cutting the bristles during insertion of the teeth. Likewise while the edges 120 should be fairly fiat for effective scraping action they should not be burred or unduly sharp at the corners because of the possible danger of abrading or cutting, the bristles duringthevcombing stroke.

The undulated form of the scraper edge 28a makes it easier to control the orientation and movement of the scarp lf and to minimize any tendency thereof to slip endwise of itself and oil the bristles during scraping operation. Also it tends to permit the scraper to penetrate more deeply into the bristles and remove more liquid with each stroke.

These and other aspects of the invention will be evident to those skilled in the art.

1 I claim as my invention:

1. A paint brush cleaning tool comprising a handle, a plurality of relatively stiff-comb teeth of substantially similar form, each such tooth having a relatively wide base joined to the handle and a tip, and tapering in width lengthwise from'such base toward the tip thereof, such teeth being 0 fsubstantially fiat form and of substantially uniform thickness with one longitudinal edge thereof being relatively flat and the opposite longitudinal edge being tapered transversely to its length, and means mounting said teeth on said handle with their flat sides facing each other and with the teeth in substantially parallel, successively spaced and transversely aligned relationship projecting from said handle, and with the relatively flat edges thereof lying substantially in a commonplane of transverse alignment.

2. The tool defined in claim 1, wherein the tapered longitudinal edges of the teeth are longitudinally curved in a gradual concave are from the base to the tip.

3. The tool defined in claim 1, wherein the tapered longitudinal edges of the teeth are longitudinally curved in a gradual concave arc from the base to the tip, and the relatively at edges of the teeth are substantially straight.

4. The tool defined in claim 3, and a transverse scraper element extending transversely across the successively spaced teeth at the base thereof and adjacent to the relatively flat edges thereof to limit penetration of the comb teeth through a paint brush being cleaned whilescraping the bristles ahead of such fiat edges during combing action with the tool.

5. The tool defined in claim 4-, and a second transverse scraper element extending transversely in relation to the teeth, said second scraper element having a projecting scraper edge offset from the teeth, wherebysuch scraper edge and the teeth are clear of each...other to avoid mutual interference during application of either to the brush.

6. The tool defined in claim 5, wherein the last-mentioned scraper edge is of undulated form longitudinally thereof.

7. The tool defined in claim 6, wherein the handle is of elongated form and the teeth project endwise .and at an obtuse angle in relation to the handle, .with. the relatively flat edges of the teeth being directed generally oppositely from the handle.

8. The tool defined in claim 7, wherein the transversely fiat longitudinal edges of the teeth areabruptly convexly curved along vtheir .length to provide rounding of the tips of the teeth along such edges, whereas the opposite longitudinal edges of the teeth follow a gentle longitudinal concave curvature substantially from their base totheir relatively flat edges of the, teeth being directed-generally oppositely from the handle.

10., Thetool defined in .claim 9, wherein the. relatively fiat longitudinal edges of the teeth. are abruptly. curved longitudinally into .the respective .oppositelongitudinal edges at the tip thereof.

11. A paint brush cleaning tool comprising amelongated handle, a plurality of relatively 'stitfc'ombteeth,

of substantially similar fiatbut elongated form, each such tooth having a relatively 'wide base and .a tip, and tapering in width lengthwisefrom such base toward the tip thereof, and means mounting said teeth by the base thereof on said handle with the general planes of said teeth in substantially parallel relationship and with the teeth transversely aligned in successively spaced relationship projecting generally endwise and at an obtuse angle from said handle.

12. The tool defined in claim 11, and a scraper. element comprising a relatively flat strip projecting from the handle in the vicinity of the base of the comb teeth, generally transversely and from the side of the handle opposite that from which the teeth project.

13. Thetool defined in claim 12, wherein the longitudinal edges of the teeth facing away from the handle are substantially flat and straight and the opposite edges thereof are tapered and smoothly rounded and gradually concavely curved along the length thereof.

Hopfen Nov. 4, 1879 Weyhrauch Aug. 15, 1922 

